[The effectiveness of a 0.1% polyhexanide gel]

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of studies dealing with chronic wound infections which have led to the use of new terms such as critical colonization or bacterial films which, together with a patient's base conditions, are closely related to the cicatrisation process, especially regarding the stagnation or regression of this process. For this reason an evaluation on the effectiveness of Prontosan Gel, a 0.1% polyhexanide gel, was carried out to see how this gel met the recommendations for cleansing wounds provided by the National Group which Studies and Counsels Health Professionals regarding Bed Sores and Chronic Wounds (GNEAUPP) and by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) for the control of bacterial build-up in chronic wounds. The data obtained in the final evaluation of the lesions studied have been: a reversal in positive cultures (p=0.004); an improvement in the stagnation of the cicatrisation process (p=0.000); reduction in the size of the wound (p=0.013); an improvement in the percentage of granulation tissue (p=0.001); an improvement in the percentage of slough in the bed of the wound (p=0.002); an improvement in the presence of exudation (p=0.008); an improvement in the presence of purulent exudation (p=0.005); an improvement in the condition of skin nearby the wound (p=0.021); an improvement in pain control (p=0.049); an improvement in erythema in nearby skin (p=0.004); an improvement in edema in skin nearby the wound (p=0.000); an improvement in the heat in the skin nearby the wound (p=0.004); and an improvement in the smell (p=0.029). To use this product propitiates the cleansing of unwanted slough in the bed of a wound; favors bacterial control and a reduction of bio-films and the care of local infection in wounds; to use this product stimulates granulation, favoring the control of stagnant ulcers, without evolution, in their cicatrisation process; the use of this product has no toxic effects on new-formed tissue; this product aids wound cicatrisation reducing the time needed for a wound to close; this product increases a patient's life quality by controlling pain, smell and the condition of surrounding tissues (edema, erythema, maceration...).